My Blog Is Now My “Journal”. Watercolors From My Latest Trip To Mongolia, Part 1

August 9, 2018August 9, 2018 | foxstudio

Arburd Sands 3 — Yarka watercolors on Waterford cold press paper

I returned on July 31 from my twelfth trip to Mongolia since 2005. I traveled to a number of places, starting with Arburd Sands ger camp in Bayan-Onjuul Soum, Tov Aimag, about two hours south-west of Ulaanbaatar. The area features a 20km stretch of dunes running east-west, the northernmost extent of the Gobi. I enjoyed capturing the clouds as they drifted by.

Arburd Sands 2 — Yarka watercolors on Waterford cold press paper

Arburd Sands 4 — Yarka watercolors on Arches cold press paper

A group of camels was nice enough to move through the scene.

Arburd Sands 1 — Yarka watercolors on Waterford cold press paper

This was actually the first one I did as a warm-up. A relatively overcast day in a country that gets 250 days of sunshine a year.

New Painting Debut! “Bactrian Camels, Bayan-Onjuul Soum, Mongolia” Step-by-Step

January 15, 2014January 15, 2014 | foxstudio

Bactrian Camels, Bayan-Onjuul Soum, Mongolia oil 30x20" — Bactrian Camels, Bayan-Onjuul Soum, Mongolia
oil 30×20″

I’ve seen these camels a number of times now at a ger camp that I stay at, Arburd Sands. Nowhere else in my travels in Mongolia since 2005 have I ever seen one with a white face like this. He’s big, too. His legs have the same kind of spotted markings. These two were part of a large group belonging to a local herder. They were grazing and hanging around quite near to the camp. I sat and sketched them one morning along with taking a lot of photos.

Here’s one of the pages of sketches I did in 2012 which includes the white-faced camel in the upper right.

And here’s the step by step of the painting:

The drawing and value study; 14×11″ graphite on drawing paper

I drew a grid on a piece of tracing paper to do a traditional graphite transfer to the canvas panel — I drew a one by one inch grid on a piece of tracing paper to do a traditional graphite transfer to the canvas panel

Here is the grid and drawing transfer — Here is the enlargement grid and drawing transfer. It doesn’t have to be exact, just close enough so that the elements are the right size and in the right place. I use a transfer sheet that I made myself by covering the back of a piece of tracing paper with lead from a soft pencil. I use a 7H pencil to do the actual transfer tracing.

The Raymar canvasboard panel tinted with raw sienna. You can barely see the lines of the transfer if you look closely.

The brush drawing of the camels. — The initial brush drawing of the camels.

The next step is to bring up the dark values of the camels, referring to my drawing as needed. I’m already indicating the wooly texture of their coats.

First color pass on the camels. I correct the drawing as I go, if necessary. I decided that I really didn’t like the eye of the brown camel, so I went back to my reference and found another camel whose eye shape looked better.

I largely finished the camels in one long sitting, but still went back and tweaked the heads a couple of times. I've now added clouds to the sky. I had originally planned to leave the sky just blue, but it didn't feel right. — I mostly finished the camels in one long sitting, but still went back and tweaked the heads a couple of times. I’ve now added clouds to the sky. I had originally planned to leave the sky just blue, but it didn’t feel right. I’ve also modeled the mountains in the background and started to work on the grass.

The WildArt Mongolia Expedition, Part 2: Location Painting And A Special Naadam At Arburd Sands, Bayan-Onjuul Soum

November 20, 2013November 20, 2013 | foxstudio

You can read Part 1 here. The Expedition schedule was planned to coincide with the naadam (festival) that is held at Arburd Sands ger camp every year to celebrate the camp’s anniversary. Since we were going out to a part of Mongolia, the far western Gobi, where there were very few herders I knew this was the perfect opportunity for the participants to get a taste of Mongol culture and just have a fun time, which we certainly did!

We set up camp the afternoon before, having driven about five hours from Ulaanbaatar.

Camp Central at Arburd Sands, cook tent on the right, dining tent on the left

We had time the next morning to get in some painting and sketching…

Sharon Schafer worked on recording the various plants in her sketchbook

Our drivers had been helping with the set-up, including putting up a ger — Some of us helped with the set-up, including putting up a ger

We took a few minutes to get a group shot

The local people had started to arrive, many on their horse. Here's an example of Mongol leatherwork. — The local people had started to arrive, many on their horses. Here’s an example of Mongol leatherwork.

Our drivers, Batmaa and Sendag, helped with the real Mongolian BBQ....khorhog (mutton or goat cooked in the metal containers) — Our drivers, Batmaa and Sendag, helped with the real Mongolian BBQ….khorhog (mutton or goat cooked with extremely hot rocks in the metal containers)

The tails of the horses who will be racing are wrapped part way down.

The centerpiece of the naadam site....a big maikhan (summer tent) — The centerpiece of the naadam site….a big maikhan (summer tent)

The opening festivities included a performance by a morin khuur (horsehead fiddle) player and a long singer, who had a wonderful voice — The opening festivities included a performance by a morin khuur (horsehead fiddle) player and a long singer who had a wonderful voice; and their brocade del were spectacular

I'm presenting a painting I did of our host's father some years ago; I had brought it back to Mongolia for my exhibition at the National Museum of Mongolia and decided that it needed to stay in the country and with the family — I’m presenting a painting I did of our host’s father some years ago. I had brought it to Mongolia for my exhibition at the National Museum of Mongolia and decided that it needed to stay in the country and with the family, which has shown me great kindness and hospitality over the years

The procession that starts the horse race. The jockeys are all singing a song to their horses that tells them that soon they will get to run and run and run.

In the meantime, the anklebone shooting competition had gotten under way

The target...stacked sheep's anklebones; if hit they fall off the back into the box — The target…stacked sheep’s anklebones; if hit they fall off the back into the box

The competitors holding the piece of wood from which they launch an anklebone. You do not want to get hit by one if it goes off-line

At last the horses and riders come back into view — At last the horses and riders came back into view

The youngest riders were accompanied by at least one adult the whole way

One of the girl jockeys. She exuded determination and seriousness

The after race feast...khorhog, salads and various dairy products like aruul (dried curds) — The after-race feast…khorhog, salads and various dairy products like cheese, aruul (dried curds) and…

The legendary mare's milk of Mongolia....airag — The legendary mare’s milk of Mongolia….airag

Then it was time for the wrestling, Mongol bokh. He's doing the traditional Eagle Dance before a bout. — Then it was time for the wrestling, Mongol bokh. He’s doing the traditional Eagle Dance before a bout.

And this youngster did a great job doing his own version. — And this youngster did a great job with his own version.

The wrestlers in the traditional garb are more experienced and have probably earned rankings in the soum or aimag. Any local guy can enter and see what he can do. — The wrestlers in the traditional garb are more experienced and have probably earned rankings in the soum or aimag. Any local guy can enter and see what he can do, but the highest ranked wrestlers get to pick their opponent, so the odds aren’t good. There is no weight division. It’s everyone against everyone. The rules are very simple. First part of the body to touch the ground other than the feet means you lose. Within that simplicity is an infinite complexity of tactics and mind games. I’ve really become a fan.

I had to make a really tough choice. I wanted to watch the wrestling, but a demonstration of catching and riding young horses had begun. The horses won out because I really needed more reference of riders using the urga (the long catchpole) — I found myself making a tough choice. I wanted to watch the wrestling, but a demonstration of catching and riding young horses had begun. The horses won out because I really needed more reference of riders using the urga (the long catchpole)

We saw how 2 year olds are caught and ridden for the first time. It was a rodeo. This horse is feeling a bridle for the first time — We saw how 2 year olds are caught and ridden for the first time. It was a rodeo. This good-looking sturdy horse is feeling a bridle for the first time and he’s pretty sure he doesn’t like it

The punctuation point and a moment later the bridle fell off, but all to no avail

Protesting in vain. As you can see, we could get as close to the action as we wanted. Some were a little too close, but no one was hurt

Just love this photo of a young Mongol girl, totally at home on her horse and in her “nutag”, the land where she was born

One of my favorite catch photos. The horsemanship we saw that afternoon was jaw-dropping, but nothing special for people put on a horse at age three. They ride like we walk.

New Painting Debut! “Bactrian Camel, Mongolia”

February 15, 2013February 15, 2013 | foxstudio

Bactrian Camel, Mongolia oil 12x16" — Bactrian Camel, Mongolia oil 12×16″

I spent most of a morning this past August sketching and photographing a herd of domestic bactrian camels who had wandered near the Arburd Sands ger camp where I was staying. I remembered this white female because she was the subject of one of my first camel paintings “Done for the Day”, which was the first painting I’d ever had accepted into the Society of Animal Artists’ juried exhibition “Art and the Animal”. And there she was again, looking as beautiful as ever in the morning light.

Bactrian camels, including my model, at Arburd Sands

And here she was in 2008 in great late afternoon light. She has a calf this year, too. And I plan to do a painting of the two of them at some point.

Done for the Day oil 17x30" — Done for the Day oil 17×30″

It’s pretty amazing to be able to go back to a place and recognize individuals that one has seen before. But she has a way about her and was leading the rest of the camels as they came towards me. Her white coloring also stands out.

“American Artist Susan Fox-The WildArt Mongolia Expedition” At ArtiCour Gallery And An Album Of Field Sketches

September 15, 2012 | foxstudio

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m going to be publicizing the WildArt Mongolia Expedition while I’m here. On September 22, I will be at ArtiCour Gallery, just off Sukhbaatar Square, from 11am to 7pm, meeting Mongolian artists and friends, talking about the Expedition, sharing images of my work and doing demonstrations of sketching, watercolor and iPad drawing. I’ve created a Facebook Event here.

I’ve been able to get in some good field sketching time this trip and thought I’d share a selection of what I’ve done so far. In August I went to Ikh Nartiin Chuluu and Arburd Sands. Once the Expedition in September was postponed, I needed to make other plans. I’ve spent six days at Jalman Meadows ger camp in the Khan Khentii Mountains and got back yesterday from four days back at Ikh Nartiin Chuluu, this time staying at Nomadic Journeys’ Red Rock ger camp. Tomorrow morning I go to Hustai National Park for four days to observe, photograph and, with luck, sketch takhi.

I’m using a Moleskin Sketch journal with Sakura Micron .01 and .02 pens and water- soluble colored pencils.

Ikh Nartiin Chuluu, August:

Arburd Sands:

Jalman Meadows:

Ikh Nartiin Chuluu, September:

WildArt Mongolia Expedition News!

September 2, 2012December 20, 2013 | foxstudio

AB ger camp — Arburd Sands ger camp with a summer storm coming in

As I noted in my previous post, in Mongolia flexibility is important. So when I got back from my weekend at Arburd Sands ger camp and found that the other artist had cancelled due to a family emergency, I had to get flexible and fast.

The WildArt Mongolia Expedition is now postponed until September of 2013. I will be traveling in the countryside to other locations between now and when I head for home. I’ll post about them when I can.

The great news is that I am working with a young Mongolian man, Byambakhuu Darinchuluun, who lives in New York and who has contacts all over the United States with the various Mongol-American communities and also here in Mongolia. We will be publicizing the Expedition while I’m here in the country, explaining this special, first-time collaboration between Mongol and American artists I’ve planned that will also support conservation. And we’ll have time to extend and refine this important initiative.

To that end I will be the focus of a special event, “American Artist Susan Fox- the WildArt Mongolia Expedition”, on September 22 at ArtiCore Gallery Company, which is right in the middle of Ulaanbaatar, across from Sukhbaatar Square. I’ll be meeting local Mongol artists, talking about the Expedition, giving a presentation on my work and demonstrating my fast sketching technique.

I’ve created a Facebook event here.

I had a wonderful time at Arburd Sands ger camp last weekend, which was hosting their first naadam for visitors. I got to see the horse race from the beginning through the middle and end and took around 700 photos plus video. There will be more on that later, but here’s a few photos that I particularly liked, including a couple of Mongol bokh, or wrestling.

AB race 1 — I got to ride in the car which paralleled the horses.

AB race 2 — The ones taken through the windshield communicate the excitement quite well.

AB race 3 — This is the winning horse, quite a beauty and he won by quite a bit.

AB wrestler 1 — Some of the wrestlers are big guys.

AB wrestler 2 — Doing the Eagle Dance before a bout.

Mongolia Monday- “Summer”, A Poem By D. Natsagdorj

June 13, 2011December 17, 2012 | foxstudio

Hangai herder (1) — Herder and yaks, Hangai Mountains, July 2010

When gorgeous summer starts,

on the gorgeous Hangai ranges,

the cuckoos sing out sweetly-

oh, how lovely this world is!

A green haze hangs in space, a delusion of mirages,

and a horse neighs, longing for home.

A rain of flowers purifies the face of the world,

and young people cram their minds with one another.

jockeys — Jockeys ready for the race, July 2010

In summer, the mountains teem with fresh waters.

Mongolia takes pleasure in her three manly sports, and

children sing their horserace song through the valleys.

These swift and gleaming horses are admired by all.

Festive melodies echo across the vast steppe.

Livestock graze the countryside, and

the scent of airag fills everyone’s nostrils.

Everywhere is so lovely, such happiness everywhere!

EBay Auction, 2-22-10; Mongol Horse, Arburd Sands

February 22, 2010February 22, 2010 | foxstudio

“Mongol Horse, Arburd Sands” is a study of a horse I saw one morning near the Arburd Sands Ger Camp in Mongolia. He and the rest of the herd were all grazing together in great morning light. Click to bid here

Some Of My Latest Drawings

February 5, 2010 | foxstudio

I’m in the middle of a rather large painting (no, not the argali one; a subject for another post; short, short version: got stuck, needed to let it sit for awhile), so I thought I would post a few drawings that I’ve done recently and then get back to the easel. It’s juried show painting season, so I’m trying out different reference images to see if I think they’ll make a painting. These were all done with Wolff’s carbon pencils on Canson Universal Recycled Sketch paper, which turns out to be quite a nice combination.